Method for producing a sieve belt of thermosettable synthetic resin helices for a papermaking machine

ABSTRACT

A sieve belt formed of a multiplicity of helices of thermosettable synthetic resin monofilament. Adjacent helices are meshed together so that overlapping windings form a channel through which a pintle-filament is passed. The helices are free of bias and torsion both before and after being assembled in the belt. After assembly the belt is stretched longitudinally and thermoset, causing the helix windings to penetrate slightly into the pintle-filament to tightly surround it with line contact, and to flatten the long legs of the oval windings between pintle-filaments.

This is a division of application Ser. No. 111,497, filed Jan. 11, 1980,now U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,138.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a sieve belt composed of a multiplicity ofhelices of thermosettable synthetic resin monofilament in which adjacenthelices are interlocked such that the windings of one helix enterbetween the windings of the adjacent helix, and having a pintle passedthrough the channel formed by adjacent helices.

In a sieve belt as taught in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2,419,751the helices, after their windings are interlocked, exhibit bias similarto a tension spring urging adjacent windings against each other. Thisbias is caused by the use of closely wound helices. In order to beinterlocked, these helices must be stretched until the windings of onehelix can enter between the windings of the adjacent helix. Inoperation, for example in a paper making machine, the sieve belt runsover rolls, causing the helices to "hinge" about the insertedpintle-filament. The contacting sides of the interlocking windings thusmove relative to each other, resulting in friction and wear. This limitsthe service life of the known sieve belt. Furthermore, in the knownsieve belt the diameter of the channel through which the pintle-filamentis inserted must be greater than the diameter of the pintle-filament.For this reason the helices must be oval to begin with, and in crosssection of the helices the inner clearance between the nearly parallelportions or legs of the ovals must be greater than the diameter of theinserted pintle-filament. As a consequence, grooves are formed in thesurface of the finished sieve belt which extend parallel to the insertedpintle-filaments and leave marks in the paper. Moreover, there is agreat deal of free space between the helices which results innon-uniform permeability. Furthermore, the helices in the known sievebelt possess a degree of torsion, i.e. in each winding the syntheticresin filament is turned once about its longitudinal axis. This torsionresults in the deformation and distortion of the synthetic resinfilament and also of the helices formed therefrom. This distortion ofthe helices complicates production of the sieve belt and detracts fromits ability to resist pileup during use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the invention to provide a sieve belt of theinitially defined type which has a long service life and does not leaveany marks, and a method for producing such a sieve belt.

These objects are attained by the use of helices free of bothtension-bias and torsion in the manufacture of the sieve belt and bythermosetting the sieve belt in its extended condition after thepintle-filament has been inserted through the channel formed by theinterlocked helices.

The sieve of the invention is suited particularly for use in the dryingsection of a papermaking machine. Owing to the fact that the windings ofthe individual helices lie relaxed in the sieve belt, i.e. without anytension-biasing, there is no friction and wear between the individualwindings. The helices of thermosettable synthetic resin filament usedfor the production of the sieve belt may have a cross section such thatafter being interlocked, the helices form wide, round cross-sectionalchannels through which the pintle-filaments can be easily inserted. Theflattened cross section of the helix and the waved configuration of theinserted pintle-filament is effected after the insertion of thepintle-filament. The surface of the sieve belt thermoset in this way isvery smooth and therefore leaves almost no marks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows in longitudinal cross section a detail of a prior art sievebelt,

FIG. 2 shows in longitudinal cross section a detail of a sieve beltaccording to the invention prior to thermosetting,

FIG. 3 illustrates the sieve belt of FIG. 2 after thermosetting,

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a section of the sieve belt,

FIG. 5 shows a helix to which torsion has been imparted duringproduction,

FIG. 6 illustrates a helix produced free of torsion,

FIG. 7 shows the engagement of the windings of adjacent helices havingenlarged winding arcs,

FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of an apparatus for producing heliceswithout subjecting the filament to torsion,

FIGS. 9A and 9B schematically illustrate the mode of interlocking thehelices, and

FIGS. 10 and 11 show in comparison the manner in which the insertedpintle-filament is prevented from shearing by the enlarged winding arcsof the helices.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows the details of a prior art sieve belt consisting of twohelices which were stretched to allow the winding 3 of one helix and thewinding 4 of the other helix to be meshed and interlocked. Apintle-filament 6 is inserted through the thus-formed channel 5. Since,prior to interlocking, the helices were thermoset while tightly wound,they are biased into contact with each other perpendicular to the planeof the drawing, which causes friction and wear during operation. Thechannel 5 formed by the overlapping windings has a height h. To permiteasy insertion of the pintle-filament 6 of diameter d, h must be greaterthan d all the way across the sieve belt. There is point contact betweenthe arcs of the windings 3 and 4 and the inserted pintle-filament 6which may also cause abrasion. Moreover, a groove is formed in thesurface of the sieve belt at 9 and 10 which leaves a mark in the paper.Since the height h of the channel 5 is greater than the diameter d ofthe inserted pintle-filament 6, individual windings may be offsetperpendicular to the plane of the sieve belt. Therefore, specialmeasures must be taken in the preparation of the prior art sieve belt tomake certain that winding leg 11 of one winding lies in the same planeas winding leg 12 of an adjacent winding. If they do not lie in the sameplane, additional marks will be left in the paper.

FIG. 3 shows a cross section of a portion of the sieve belt (FIG., 4) ofthe invention, seen in the longitudinal direction of the insertedpintle-filament and perpendicular to the sieve belt. The winding arcs13, 14 contact the inserted pintle-filament 6 at an angle of about 180°to each other. The inner radius of the winding arcs 13, 14 thussubstantially corresponds to the radius of the inserted pintle-filament6. The loads occurring at points 7, 8 of the prior art sieve belt (shownin FIG. 1) are therefore distributed evenly in the sieve belt of theinvention, greatly reducing the wear of the belt. The semicircularwinding arcs 13, 14 merge into straight winding legs 11, 12. Seen in thelongitudinal direction of the pintle-filament 6, i.e. as shown in FIG.3, the winding legs 11 and 12 merge rectilinearly into each other toavoid the grooves formed at 9 and 10 in the prior art sieve belt. Thewinding legs 11 and 12 are disposed in the same plane, thus preventingthe marks caused by the offsetting of the individual helicesperpendicular to the sieve plane. At the same time, the open spaces inthe sieve belt of the invention are uniform to ensure uniformpermeability of the overall sieve.

The pintle-filament 6 has a wave-like configuration as viewed in thesieve plane and as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. The distance between twosimilarly directed arcs, i.e. the length of one wave, corresponds to thepitch of the helices 1, 2 shown in FIG. 4. This wavy configuration ofthe pintle-filament 6 prevents lateral shifting of the windings 3, 4.

The helices 1, 2 are not biased or compressed and thus lie relaxedadjacent one another in the sieve belt with no tendency to contract.

The filament forming the helices 1, 2 is also free of torsion. FIGS. 5and 6 show helices with and without torsion, respectively.

The sieve belt of the invention is produced substantially as follows:each of a multiplicity of helices 1, 2 is interlocked with the precedinghelix, i.e. the windings 3 of one helix 1 are inserted between thewindings 4 of the next helix 2. The helices are inserted to such anextent that the windings of adjacent helices together form a channel 5.A pintle-filament 6 is inserted into each of said channels. The channel5 must, of course, be of adequate size, and the inserted pintle-filament6 is usually straight. After all pintle-filaments 6 are inserted, thesieve belt is subjected to longitudinal tension and thermoset. Thewindings 3, 4 are deformed by thermosetting to the oval configurationshown in FIG. 3 with semicircular winding arcs 13, 14 and straightwinding legs 11, 12, and the winding arcs 13, 14 lying tightly againstthe inserted pintle-filament 6. The pintle-filament 6, in turn, iscaused to assume a wavy configuration as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.

Since thermosetting does not take place until after the sieve belt isassembled, the helices 1, 2 can initially be of any shape that allowsconvenient insertion of the pintle-filament 6 into the channel 5 formedby the winding arcs 13, 14. It is only the later thermosetting thatimparts the flat, oval cross section to the helices so that the shape ofthe arc between the winding legs 11, 12 becomes equal to the diameter ofthe pintle-filament 6. This makes the surface of the sieve belt verysmooth so that it will not leave any marks.

Consequently, helices having substantially any desired cross-sectionalconfiguration, such as circular or elliptical, may be employed in themanufacture of the sieve belt. The winding arcs 13, 14 illustrated inFIG. 2 are associated with helices having elliptical cross section.

The pitch of the helices is not critical and may vary between one andtwo times the thickness of the filament. Helices of higher pitch mayalso be employed. If helices having a pitch less than twice the filamentthickness are employed, they must be stretched prior to interlockinguntil the pitch corresponds to about twice the filament diameter.

In general, therefore, helices are selected that are not tightly woundand whose pitch is greater than the filament diameter; preferably thepitch should be somewhat greater than twice the thickness of thefilament. This simplifies interlocking of the helices. The manufactureof such helices will be described further below in conjunction with FIG.8.

Preferably, adjacent helices 1, 2 are wound in opposite directions, asshown in FIG. 4. The winding arcs 13, 14 will then interlock especiallyreadily, because tangents laid to the winding arcs 13, 14, respectively,have the same spatial alignment. However, it is also possible toalternate a plurality of helices with right hand winding with aplurality of helices with left hand winding. Helices of the same windingdirection can also be used exclusively in a sieve belt, although in thatcase special measures might have to be taken to prevent the sieve fromrunning off the track.

If helices with enlarged winding arcs 13, 14 are employed, the mostsuitable pitch of the helices depends not only on the thickness of thehelix but also on the width of the enlarged winding arcs 13, 14.Preferably the pitch of the helices is then at least twice the filamentthickness and is at most equal to the sum of filament thickness andenlarged winding arc width.

The joining of two helices is relatively simple in view of the preciselyadjusted free space between the windings. If helices with enlargedwinding arcs 13, 14 are employed, two helices are placed in overlyinglaterally off-set relationship (see FIG. 9a), the helices are stretchedsomewhat and then passed together between two compression rolls 32whereby they are urged into one another (FIG. 9b). After elimination ofthe tension exerted on the helices, the enlarged winding arcs 13, 14hold the helices in position so that a straight pintle-filament can beinserted. The subsequent helices are jointed in the same way.

The enlarged winding arcs 13, 14 must be placed between the windings ofthe adjacent helix as the helices are interlocked. When the spacebetween the windings is somewhat less than the width of the enlargedwinding arcs 13, 14, a helix need be stretched only slightly to admitthe enlarged arcs between the windings. This is advantageous overtightly wound helices which must be stretched out to more than twicetheir original length. Such great elongation of the helix results inconsiderable difficulties because of the required high precision.Relatively minor non-uniformities of the filament material, for example,may result in different elongation in different sections of the helix.

After the enlarged winding arcs 13, 14 of the helix have been insertedinto the adjacent helix, the helices are allowed to relax and thewindings of interlocked helices come into contact without bias. Theenlarged arc portions prevent the helices from separating from eachother. Therefore, a straight pintle-filament 6 can be convenientlyinserted. This interlocking of the helices is shown in FIG. 7.

After the helices are interlocked and the pintle-filament is inserted,the sieve belt is not yet ready for use. In order to avoid any chance ofleaving marks in the paper, the surface of the sieve belt must besmoothed. Moreover, the windings of the helices may still move freelyabout the pintle-filament. Such movement of the windings may easilyoccur during handling of the sieve belt, and there is a risk that thehelices will remain in the elongated condition due to friction.Furthermore, the interlocked helices may have local areas where thehelices are no longer free of tension-biasing. In these areas, externalinfluences may have reduced the pitch of the helix to less than twicethe filament thickness. Similar defects may be caused by minordeviations in the thickness of the filament. All these defects wouldcause wrinkling of the sieve belt, for example during mounting thereofin a papermaking machine, and render it unusable.

The above-mentioned thermosetting of the sieve belt overcomes thesedifficulties. Thermosetting eliminates any existing bias of the helix,smooths the surface of the sieve belt and causes the individual windingsto penetrate somewhat into the material of the pintle-filament, thusgiving said pintle-filament a wavy configuration. The individualwindings are thereby secured against lateral shifting. Enlarged arcs ofthe helix windings not only prevent the helices from coming apart beforeinsertion of the pintle-filament but also reduce abrasion between thewindings and the pintle-filaments, because the enlarged arc provides alarger area of contact with the pintle-filament than a filament that hasnot been so deformed. Furthermore, the load on the pintle-filament ismore favorable when the winding arcs 13, 14 are enlarged, because theenlarged arc increases the area of contact between the insertedpintle-filament and helix filament. When the filament is not deformed,i.e. when it does not have enlarged winding arcs, the pintle-filament issubjected to shearing forces (FIG. 10) against which syntheticfilamentary material offers only moderate resistance because of itsmacromolecular longitudinal orientation. The enlarged winding arcs,which overlap each other as seen in the longitudinal direction of thesieve belt, clamp a portion of the pintle-filament between them so thatany shearing force is greatly reduced (FIG. 11).

If a completely smooth surface is not obtained with the tension and heatapplied during thermosetting, pressure may also be appliedperpendicularly to the problem area of the sieve belt, e.g. by heatedplates. The deformation of the initially round or elliptical helix intoan oval is then no longer exclusively dependent on the amount of exertedtension.

Because the sieve belt is not subjected to thermosetting until it isassembled, the temperature, tension and any compressive forces appliedby the heater plates may be selected such that not only the windings 3,4 are pressed into the shape of a flat oval but that the windings 3, 4also penetrate somewhat into the material of the pintle-filament 6. Thislocks the windings 1, 2 in position and prevents them from beingdisplaced along the pintle-filaments 6, which might occur, for example,as the sieve belt is pulled into place in a papermaking machine, causingwaves in the sieve belt. Furthermore, this prevents interstices betweenthe helices.

In order to ensure adequate and uniform heat throughout the thickness ofthe sieve belt and over the entire surface thereof, the heat shouldpreferably be supplied by a heated stream of air.

FIG. 8 shows an apparatus for producing torsionless synthetic resinhelices. The apparatus comprises a rotating mandrel 20 and a cone 22guided in a reciprocating manner at one end of the mandrel 20. The helixis produced by feeding a first filament 18 to the rapidly rotatingmandrel 20 at 19. The first filament 18 is thus wound onto the mandrel20 by means of the cone 22, which reciprocates rapidly, and thethus-formed helix is pushed across the mandrel 20 to the right hand sidein FIG. 8. After a small number of windings have been formed, a secondfilament 24 of heat-resistant material moves onto the mandrel 20 at 23and enters between the windings of said first filament 18. The windingsof the first filament 18 are thereby urged apart, thus enabling thespace between the windings of said first filament to be preciselydetermined by the thickness of the second filament 24. It is alsopossible to feed both filaments onto the mandrel 20 at substantially thesame location. If this is done the filaments should form an angle of 90°between them in order to prevent the cone 22 from urging one filamentover the other.

The second filament 24 accompanies the first filament 18 along a givennumber of windings, namely through a thermosetting zone in which thehelix formed of the first filament 18 is set in spread-apart conditionby a heating means 29. After having passed through said thermosettingzone, the second filament 24 leaves the mandrel 20 at 28 and is theneither rewound on a reel or returned to the point 19 along a closed pathprovided with tensioning and braking means. The helix formed from thefirst filament 18 has then been set in the desired configuration. Itleaves the tapering mandrel 20 and drops into a collecting bin 30. Sincethe helix rotates about its axis, it is necessary for the collecting bin30 to synchronously follow this rotary motion because otherwise thehelix would become entangled in an inextricable mass.

In this way the first filament 18 can be shaped into a helix whose pitchcan be adjusted precisely to a value between twice the filamentthickness and the sum of filament thickness and enlarged winding arcwidth and which is free of torsion.

For the production of a helix with enlarged winding arcs 13, 14 thefilament material is wound around a mandrel 20 of oval cross section.Owing to the oval cross section the filament tension periodicallyincreases and decreases during wind-up such that the tension risesabruptly each time the first filament 18 passes over the round sectionsof the oval mandrel 20. The filament is selected such that the abruptrise in tension effects a deformation of the filament material. Thefirst filament 18 flattens somewhat at this point, i.e. its dimensionparallel to the axis of the mandrel 20 becomes wider. The helix filamentmaterial is thus flattened at the outer ends or windings arcs 13, 14 ofthe oval (see FIG. 7).

If the helices were produced in the conventional manner, torsion wouldbe imparted to the filament of the windings 3, 4 so that, when seen inplan view, the legs of the windings would form an elongate S as shown inFIG. 5. The point of deformation cannot be predetermined and adjacentwindings are therefore generally further apart than would be expectedfrom the thickness of the filament.

On the other hand, FIG. 6 shows a helix produced free of torsion, i.e. ahelix to whose filament no torsion was imparted during its manufacture.A torsionless helix may be smoothly joined to another torsionless helix.Since there is no distortion or deformation of windings, the helices,after interlocking, do not have a length greater than that correspondingto the filament diameter and the number of windings.

Helices produced with torsion cannot be freed from torsion by laterthermosetting because the required high temperatures would deterioratethe properties of the synthetic resin material.

EXAMPLE

Helices of oval cross section are produced from polyestermonofilamentary material of 0.7 mm thickness, the maximum and minimumdiameters of the oval being 6.8 mm and 3.8 mm, respectively. The widthof the heads is 0.93 mm and the pitch is 1,54 mm. For thepintle-filament, polyester filament of 0.9 mm thickness was used. Thethickness of the sieve belt prior to thermosetting was 3.8 mm and therewere 23 pintle-filaments per 10 cm sieve belt length. The number ofhelical windings are 65 per 10 cm sieve belt width. After thermosettingthe thickness of the sieve belt was 2.5 mm and the number ofpintle-filaments was 20.3 per 10 cm sieve belt length and the number ofwindings was 65 per 10 cm sieve belt width. The sieve belt had a weightof 1.450 kg/m² and an air permeability of 950 cfm. The maximum andminimum dimensions of the oval cross section of the helices were 7.2 mmand 2.5 mm, respectively, after thermosetting.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for producing a sieve belt characterizedby the following method steps:(a) meshing helices of thermosettablesynthetic resin filament by inserting the windings of one helix betweenthe windings of an adjacent helix so that the overlapping windings forma channel, the meshed helices being free of bias, (b) passing apintle-filament into said channel, (c) extending the thus-formed sievebelt by applying longitudinal tension, and (d) thermosetting the sievebelt in said extended condition.
 2. Method according to claim 1, whereinpressure is exerted on the area of the sieve belt during thermosetting.3. Method according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein thetemperature, tension and pressure on the sieve belt are selected suchthat said winding arcs of said helices penetrate into thepintle-filament (6) during thermosetting so as to cause it to assume awavy configuration.
 4. Method according to claim 1, wherein thethermosetting heat is supplied by a stream of hot air.
 5. Methodaccording to claim 1 wherein the meshed helices are also free oftorsion.